Thread: Resting Razors.....?

So I have seen here and else where people asking and talking about "resting" their razors and edges.....either between using or after shaving and before stropping.

I don't do this. And it's mainly because I don't understand the concept of "resting" steal. I am not a scientist or claim to know the inherint properties of steal so please don't take this the wrong way but......do people really think steal "reforms" without an outside force? I understand how shaving affects the edge but without some outside force the steal will remain as it last was correct???

So how did some user find/think "resting" the edge will do any good?

I'm pretty sure it was some scheme way back in the day to get people to buy more than one razor. ("and if you act now, a second razor in your rotation will allow your blades to rest! Keep your razors going for twice as long!")

Speaking of 'resting' , this theory had been put to bed
http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...e-resting.html

The razor requires only one night's rest. Put it in bed with you, prop up its little head on the pillow next to you, and kiss it goodnight before you nod off. It is best to do this with the razor in the 'closed' position. If you put it to bed in the 'open' position, it will lose sleep worrying about cutting you, and so will you. Sleep tight!

I think many of us have enough razors in our rotations to be able to use a different razor for each shave each day, so I guess in theory we do "rest" our razors between uses.

I read something somewhere about this recently. The idea was to let it rest for a week or something. The theory behind that was that your honed edge would lightly rust in that amount of time. Then after a week, you strop it on linen and leather and you have a brand new edge. This doesn't sound like good science to me. But that's how I understood it. Wish I could find the link. Anyways, I don't really believe in it, but I've heard some guys on here with a heck of a lot more knowledge than me advocate the idea. So, who knows.

Originally Posted by regularjoe

I read something somewhere about this recently. The idea was to let it rest for a week or something. The theory behind that was that your honed edge would lightly rust in that amount of time. Then after a week, you strop it on linen and leather and you have a brand new edge. This doesn't sound like good science to me.

It was also believed razor edges had 'teeth & fins'.... Da-Dum...Da-Dum...Da-Dum-Da-Dum-Da-Dum .

Kropp actually recommended stropping after use. There may be other manufacturers with similar instructions but yet we focus on the resting myth

Originally Posted by onimaru55

It was also believed razor edges had 'teeth & fins'.... Da-Dum...Da-Dum...Da-Dum-Da-Dum-Da-Dum .

Kropp actually recommended stropping after use. There may be other manufacturers with similar instructions but yet we focus on the resting myth

Like I said I don't practice this but recently read a thread where a member commented that their dovo strop said to "rest" the razor before use

I believe this is the info from the DOVO site than people were referring to. The overwhelming opinion ended up being that as far as superstitions go, resting a razor to keep the fin intact is a genuine one.

5. The straight razor I bought a short time ago no longer shaves properly. Do I have to whet it, and how often is this necessary?
DOVO straight razors are whetted in the factory for use (whetting on leather by hand). If you own a suitable strop, you should nevertheless take into account that the razor must first "rest" after use. After the razor has been carefully rinsed and dried, it should not be used again for at least 24 - 48 hours because the fine "fin" on the cutting edge straightens up again extremely slowly. If the razor is stropped too soon (or stropped incorrectly by moving it backwards and forwards without turning it over), the "fin" which is necessary for a close shave breaks off. Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between.

Heh between 6 and 15 shaves leaves a fair margin.

I prefer in the absence of scientifically formulated and explained proof to go with my experience, I strop after every shave, and sometimes I'll use the same razor for a couple of weeks, other times I'll change daily, the only constant is that I dry and strop after each shave and I've never had an issue.

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